Gentamicin

Gentamicin isaminoglycoside antibiotic,can treat many different typesbacterial infections, particularly Gram-negative infection.

Gentamicin works by binding tosite onbacterial ribosome, causinggenetic codebe misread.

Like all aminoglycosides, gentamicin does not passgastro-intestinal tract, socan only be given intravenously or intramuscularly.

Gentamicin can cause deafnessgenetically susceptible individuals. These individuals havenormally harmless mutationtheir DNA, that allowsgentamicinaffect their cells. The cells ofearparticularly sensitivethis.

Gentamicin can also be highly nephrotoxic, particularly if multiple doses accumulate overcoursetreatment. For his reason gentamicinusually dosed by body weight. Various formulae existcalculating gentamicin dosage. Also serum levelsgentamicinmonitored during treatment.